


Strategy

by ChokolatteJedi



Category: Chess (Board Game)
Genre: Anthropomorphic, Background Relationships, Banter, Competition, F/M, Games, M/M, Royalty, Sibling Rivalry, Yuletide, Yuletide 2014
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-24
Updated: 2014-12-24
Packaged: 2018-03-03 07:37:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2843285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChokolatteJedi/pseuds/ChokolatteJedi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kings talk smack. Queens get stuff done.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strategy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [polishmyarmor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/polishmyarmor/gifts).



> Thanks so much to my story beta, Trixie. Any further mistakes are totally mine.
> 
> Huge thanks also to Elf, my graphics beta!

"You! Move that way!" King Frostbeard yelled as soon as the pages were all in place.

"No wait!" Queen Jasmine gave her husband a look. "Snow, please move two steps forward." The page quickly obeyed, smiling proudly. She was directly in front of the queen and she was often one of the first to move.

Her king frowned. "Hey, that's not what-"

"Hah! Letting your little woman make the decisions, eh?" King Blackthorn yelled across the board! "Don't want to tarnish your lily-white hands by doing a little work?"

"Hush dear," Queen Raven said. King Blackthorn's mouth snapped shut immediately. The dark queen pointed at the knight on her far left. "Onyx, up and to the right please, son."

Her son spurred his horse forward and to the side, as instructed. "Go get 'em son! Do your old man proud!" King Blackthorn cheered. Sir Onyx rolled his eyes at his father.

King Frostbeard appeared ready to comment on the move, but Queen Jasmine put a calming hand on his arm. "Not now, dear," she said quietly. He grumbled, but didn't taunt his opponent again. "Silk, forward one." The page promptly stepped forward.

"Slate, two paces," Queen Raven immediately countered. The page moved into place, grinning at Snow as they went toe to toe. This was also a move that happened many games, and the two pages had a bit of a friendly rivalry going.

"Bishop Purity, go threaten the prince, if you please," Queen Jasmine directed.

"Yeah!" King Frostbeard cheered. "Knock that little princeling off his high horse!"

"Hey, that's Sir Princeling to you!" Sir Onyx replied. His horse pawed the board eagerly, knowing what was coming as well as he did.

From her place in her turret, Princess Pearl giggled. She also knew what was coming; this was an opening gambit that their mothers favored. Even her cousin Bishop Purity had a small smile on her face.

Sir Onyx's horse was moving almost before Queen Raven said, "Over to your right, then up."

"Take that!" Blackthorn yelled. 

"Silk, you know what to do," Jasmine directed the page calmly.

Silk hated being the first one out from her side, but at least she was going to take a knight down with her, which was quite a respectable conquest for a page. And once her job was done she could sit on the sidelines and chat and flirt with the others, which made the sacrifice worth it. The page stepped up to Sir Onyx, grinning at him. His horse eyed Silk viciously, and she glared right back. Then she pointed at the sidelines sternly. "Away with you, Sir."

Pouting, Sir Onyx kneed his horse in the proper direction. Silk heard King Blackthorn complaining, and Lady Knight Sloe teasing her brother, but the exact words were lost in the cacophony of outbursts at the knight's defeat. She couldn't hear Queen Raven either, but suddenly Slate was charging at her. Silk stepped quickly to the side to avoid her overeager counterpart and then headed off the board.

Once she got to the side, she found that Sir Onyx had dismounted and was sitting on the sidelines, waiting for her. Cheered by that, she took her seat beside him.

"Bone, forward two paces," Jasmine dictated. The page stepped up, standing behind Bishop Purity, who smiled politely at him.

"Jet, one space," Raven commanded. The page stepped forward and leered at Purity. Bone bristled behind her, but there was nothing he could do yet. He was backup, not out on the front lines.

"Lady Knight Lily, please support out good Bishop to her right," Queen Jasmine directed. Page Bone heard the knight charge up behind him, but at the last second the Lady Knight turned her charger and maneuvered into a space right on the edge of the board. Lily lowered her lance into the ready position and stared down Jet.

The page ignored her with difficulty, and was pleased when his Queen's command allowed him to move from her line of sight. "Page Jet, remove Bishop Purity." He dashed at the Bishop.

Purity turned and walked away from the excited page, nimbly escaping his arms without seeming to notice him. When she reached the sidelines, Sir Onyx bowed and kissed her hand chastely, while Page Silk patted the bench beside her in invitation. Jet took her space, smirking at his fellow page. Bone growled back.

"Lady Knight, avenge our Bishop, please," Queen Jasmine commanded.

Bone scooted out of the way, careful not to leave his square, as Lily charged at Jet. The page fled before her steed, and quickly retreated to the sidelines, where Sir Onyx immediately placed himself on the other side of Bishop Purity, keeping Jet from going near her.

His attention on the drama on the sidelines, Page Bone didn't hear Queen Raven's next command. The only inkling of trouble he had was when he caught sight of movement in his peripheral vision. He turned and jumped out of the way, just in time to avoid being impaled on Bishop Jaguar's staff.

Knowing his time was up, Bone then quickly retreated to the sidelines.

"That's three for me, Frosty!" King Blackthorn yelled across the board. He sounded so smug that King Frostbeard almost considered leaving his space to attack the great peacock, but Queen Jasmine's calming hand on his arm again stopped him. She again gave him the look that said _leave everything to me._

Then the queen turned towards her front rank and the waiting pages. "Sugar, forward one," Queen Jasmine directed the farthest page.

King Frostbeard saw the danger immediately. "But dear-"

"Shhh," Jasmine's grip on his arm tightened slightly. "I know what I'm doing, dear," she reminded him. Page Sugar had glanced at her queen uncertainly, and Jasmine nodded at the page to continue.

"Bishop Jaguar, attack again!" Queen Raven yelled, as King Blackthorn cackled with glee. The Bishop strode forward, wielding his staff like a sword, and quickly chased Sugar away. The page ducked out of his way and over to the sidelines, where she joined the growing group.

"Now, Bishop Gardenia," Queen Jasmine told her sister. Smirking wickedly, the other Bishop raced forward and attacked her counterpart, driving him from the board.

"Ha!" King Frostbeard couldn't help but yell. "Take that, Thorny!"

Queen Jasmine traded an amused glance with the other queen for their husbands' antics. A moment later, Queen Raven called out, "Guard Obsidian!"

The guard mobilized his tower, and it glided forward. Bishop Gardenia held her ground until the last possible moment, but as the tower stormed on she was finally forced to flee. On the sidelines, she found her two counterparts already chatting and joined them.

"Foam, dear, your turn." Queen Jasmine declared. The prince grinned and gunned his own tower. It sped forward, but Guard Obsidian was ready and quickly scooted out of the way. Prince Foam pouted a bit at the close escape, but King Frostbeard cheered excitedly.

"Page Shadow, forward two," Raven commanded. The page quickly took his place in the center near Slate and Snow, smirking at the now-outnumbered light page. Snow just smirked back.

"Sir Cloud, to the right!" Queen Jasmine directed her other son. Carefully slipping between the pages before him, the knight took his place with a grin.

Queen Raven smirked. In a sickly sweet voice meant to imitate Jasmine's, she said, "Bishop Panther, go threaten the prince, if you please." The Bishop bounded across the board, stopping just past the Knighted prince.

King Blackthorn cackled gleefully again, but King Frostbeard took the allusion to his wife's earlier command as a compliment. "Have to steal from our playbook now, eh?" he called out.

Sir Cloud snorted and shook his head at his father, his horse mimicking him. Queen Jasmine smiled as well. "Ivory, one space please."

The page stepped forward, glaring at the Bishop he now cornered.

"Ebony," Queen Raven couldn't hide her amusement as she directed the page, "go greet your brother."

Ebony strode forward two paces, placing herself at the Bishop's shoulder, ready to defend or avenge him. "Hello, Brother," she growled, eyes sparkling with mischief. Ivory, for his part, glared back, but he knew how this maneuver would end, and he couldn't begrudge his sister the victory.

"Page Snow, forward one," Queen Jasmine said. Surprised, the court turned away from the sibling drama and watched as the other page took her step forward.

"A diversion, at this stage?" Queen Raven mused. "How… unexpected. Page Coal, please head her off." Coal did as she asked, stepping forward one space and bringing snow diagonally into his sights. They glared at each other across the scant open space.

Queen Jasmine smirked. "So you saw through my plan, did you?" she teased her counterpart. "Very well then. Page Ivory!" Ivory didn't need to hear his Queen's command to know what it would be, but Queen Jasmine gave it anyway. "Take Bishop Panther out."

Ivory strode forward, driving Bishop Panther from the space. The Bishop retreated to the sidelines, where his brother, Bishop Jaguar, was waiting. Page Ivory immediately turned to face his sister, unconsciously echoing her smirk. "Sister dear, we meet again," he teased.

"Ebony!" Queen Raven commanded.

Ebony hurled herself at her brother, tackling him to the floor. They squirmed and tussled for a moment before she gained the upper hand. "Hah. Pinned ya."

"Atta girl!" King Blackthorn cheered.

Ivory pouted for a moment, but then smiled. "Fine, get offa me."

Ebony let him up, and he quickly made his way to the sidelines, where he was greeted with many slaps on the back and teasing comments.

But Queen Jasmine was ready for this opening. "Pearl dear, your counterpart."

Whooping a war cry, Pearl gunned her tower and sped across the board. Midnight barely got his own tower out of the way before she got there, skidding to a stop just shy of the edge. Then she turned to face the Lady Knight beside her.

"Hi Sloe!" she said, giggling.

"Hi Pearl!" the other princess waved cheerfully.

"Sloe!" King Blackthorn sounded scandalized. "Don't consort with the enemy!"

Sloe rolled her eyes. "Oh please, father." She nudged her horse closer to the edge of her space and began to quietly gossip with Princess Pearl.

"Clever," Queen Raven taunted, but you've left your poor son undefended. Ebony!"

Page Ebony sauntered forward and winked at Sir Cloud saucily. "So, Yer Highness, what are you doing after the game?" She openly leered at him.

Sir Cloud took one look at her predatory grin and dashed for the border. Once he was there, Sir Onyx wrapped his arms around the other boy comfortingly. Then they both froze and glanced at their fathers. Both Kings looked confused, while Queen Raven and Queen Jasmine just smirked knowingly. Their sisters continued to giggle together.

"Page Milk, your turn," Queen Jasmine declared. Much to Sir Cloud's relief, the others were distracted by Milk forcing Ebony from the square. When she reached the sidelines, she skipped past Sir Cloud, much to his relief, and plonked down beside her twin brother. Ivory ruffled her hair teasingly as they began to chat.

"Coal, remove Page Snow from play!" Queen Raven ordered. Page Coal jumped to attention and charged at Snow. The pale page quickly joined her fellows, chatting animatedly on the sides.

Queen Jasmine surveyed the court for a moment before smiling widely. "Prince Foam, all the way forward!"

Queen Raven immediately scowled as the prince again gunned his tower, knowing what was going to happen. Once Foam reached the farthest space, he turned his tower and propped his elbows on the edge. Resting his chin in his hands, he smirked at King Blackthorn.

"THAT'S CHECK!" King Frostbeard roared out, doing a little jig.

"Please dear, no need to shout," Queen Jasmine said. "Foam is perfectly capable of declaring that himself."

Queen Raven scowled at her King. "Step forward." He did so, and she turned to face Prince Foam. The prince's grin widened and he winked at her.

Everyone knew what was about to happen, but Jasmine gave the official order anyway. No reason to be informal at this point in the proceedings. "Foam, forward."

Instead of rushing at her, the prince moved his tower at a decorous pace, giving Queen Raven plenty of time to step aside.

Instead of joining the others, however, she stepped off the back of the board and continued to give her troops directions. "Blackthorn, take out the prince."

Foam backed his tower out of the way and allowed the King to occupy his wife's former spot. The prince then sped over to the side and joined his brother.

Queen Jasmine herself finally joined the fray, stepping forward gracefully. Page Coal saw her coming and quickly scooted out of her way, bowing respectfully. Queen Jasmine's voice was firm, but her eyes twinkled with amusement as she proclaimed, "Check."

Behind her, her King let out a whoop, but this time she didn't chastise him.

"To the side," Queen Raven commanded. King Blackthorn ducked to his right. "No! Your other side!" she cried, but he had already stepped into the next square.

"Too late," Queen Jasmine said smugly. "He stays."

Queen Raven growled, but gestured at her King to remain where he was. Queen Jasmine took a single step forward.

"Crow, forward one," Raven directed.

The page stepped forward as directed and aimed his sword at Lily. The Lady Knight looked down on him disdainfully from her perch. Her destrier pawed the ground and snorted, equally unimpressed.

"Pearl, say goodbye to your friend," Queen Jasmine said. Pearl and Sloe stopped gossiping, and turned as one to face the Queen. Sloe's mount pawed the ground nervously. "Do I have to repeat myself?" Queen Jasmine asked coolly.

Princess Pearl grinned widely. "No mother." She turned to the Lady Knight. "Would you like to do this the easy way or the hard way, Sloe?" she asked smugly.

Sloe scowled, the expression almost identical to her mother's, and then stormed over to the sidelines. Pearl slid her tower into the vacated space.

"Check," Princess Pearl declared brightly.

"That's my girl!" King Frostbeard cheered.

"And mate," Queen Jasmine added quietly.

King Frostbeard let out a series of whoops and cheers, causing King Blackthorn to glare at him. "Take that, Thorny!" he cried.

"Now see here!" The other king stalked across the board to confront his gloating friend.

Queen Jasmine glanced at Queen Raven, who inclined her head gracefully in defeat. "Perhaps next week, dear," the former said with only a hint of a smirk.

"Perhaps." Queen Raven agreed.

The two queens stood together and observed the vestiges of the game. The few remaining players had rushed off to join their friends on the side, boasting at having never been taken out. It was a chance for both sides to interact and enjoy each other's company.

Until next week.

**Author's Note:**

> [](http://imgur.com/jN2mPYo)   
> 


End file.
